


A Burning Question

by SweetSorcery



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Bonding, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Male Slash, Mind Meld, Psychic Bond, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-25
Updated: 2012-09-25
Packaged: 2017-11-15 00:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/521359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetSorcery/pseuds/SweetSorcery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since the events of "Amok Time", strange thoughts have been on Kirk's mind. And only Spock can shed light on them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Burning Question

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All canon characters, settings, events and other details are property of Viacom/Paramount and possibly other copyright holders. Non-canon bits were created for non-profit, non-infringement fan entertainment.
> 
> Archiving: Nowhere except here, and not in translated form either.

"Kiss me?" James Kirk echoed in amazement.

Spock's eyebrow rose up into his silky fringe. "That is what I said, captain."

Kirk gaped at him. "That's what I thought I heard you say, Mr Spock." He coughed.

Spock folded his hands behind his back and began to rock gently on his heels, his gaze fixed on Kirk's, no matter how much the sparkling hazel eyes tried to avoid his. Amusement threatened to surface within him as he watched his normally unflappable captain become distinctly, well, 'flappable'.

The conversation had begun innocently enough. The captain had enquired about mind melds, his normal human curiosity apparently still not having descended from its peak after the Enterprise's hurried detour to Vulcan for Spock's ill-fated wedding. In fact, now that he thought about it, Spock noted that since that event three weeks ago, not a single day had gone by that his captain had not asked about some aspect or other relating to Vulcan mating rituals, the pon farr and Vulcan bonding.

At first, Spock had found his captain's curiosity interesting, then he had begun to grow suspicious, then bemused, and finally, when the captain had come out and asked him whether his sudden loss of interest in T'Pring had anything to do with... him... well, to say Spock was intrigued would have been a severe understatement.

"You did ask, captain..."

Kirk was flushed and looked ready to bolt, but that was not in his nature. After all, he'd asked a question - one that he had unfortunately blurted out without much thought - and now he had something of a response. However, 'kiss me' was not the response he had expected.

"Does that even... compute, Spock?" Kirk asked, his voice distinctly higher than usual. He swallowed, embarrassed. Compute?

Spock masterfully suppressed a smirk. "It does indeed, Jim. I can think of only one way to answer your question fully, and that is--"

"For me to kiss you," Kirk said, pacing back and forth while keeping his eyes on his first officer. Spock nodded. Kirk stopped pacing. He raised his hands, palms up. "What will that accomplish?" The moment the words were out, Kirk wanted to kick himself. Had he ever said anything more stupid in his life?

Spock now really did smirk. "It will answer your question, Jim."

Kirk's lips parted, then fell shut again. Spock's use of his first name had never sounded more provocative to him. He suddenly felt short of breath. "It will?"

Spock simply looked at him, thinking how uncertainty gave his captain a particularly enticing vulnerability.

Kirk looked at Spock, a thousand thoughts running through his mind. Suddenly, he was no longer sure whether he could handle the answer to his question. Oh, it wasn't that he had any kind of trouble with the idea of kissing Spock. In fact... a shiver of anticipation ran through him. But what if the answer should be 'no'? After having agonised over this for weeks, he simply couldn't handle that.

Spock was still looking at him, his gaze impenetrable. He'd never known his captain to back away from a challenge. But he was surprised to find that the request of a kiss alone wasn't answer enough. It amused him greatly that clearly, the import of the question to Jim was such that his habitual clear reasoning faculties were malfunctioning.

Kirk took a step towards him, then stopped. Then he turned away.

Spock felt his friend might need help in making up his mind. "I shall return to my duties if there is nothing else, captain." His voice was level and matter-of-fact. There was no hint of disappointment or any other emotion. Kirk made a small sound of protest, and Spock turned back towards him. "Jim?"

"Spock..." Kirk tugged at his tunic, moved closer again, and lifted one hand, hesitantly, until his fingertips touched Spock's chin. "I need to know," he said to himself as much as to Spock.

"Of course, Jim." Spock's lips twitched. He was glad for the humor of the situation, for otherwise, the simple touch of Jim's fingers would have sent a violent trembling through every part of his body.

The hint of a smile was what made Kirk move closer still, his fingers now turning Spock's chin slightly as he tilted his own head. But it was seeing Spock's eyes close that gave him the courage to ask again, this time without words... 'Are we bonded?'

His lips had barely touched Spock's when the question formed in his mind and, like a lightning bolt, the answer shot into his own mind. He drew away, gasping.

Spock stood back, gauging Jim's reaction while allowing him time to grow accustomed to the answer.

Kirk stared at Spock, his eyes wide and roaming over him as if he was seeing him for the very first time. And perhaps he was, because now he knew that the moment their lips would touch again, he would begin to truly understand Spock.

He went back, kissed him again, and for a crazy moment, he felt shier than he ever had in his life. But in a moment, the strangeness was all gone. He felt closer to Spock than ever before. He was... home.

Reluctantly, he withdrew again, breathing hard.

"Are you forming a hypothesis yet, Jim?" Spock asked, his self-control not quite able to suppress the huskiness in his deep voice.

Kirk smiled, closed his eyes and arched his neck, and this time, Spock was the one to do the kissing before Kirk had a chance to make a move.

The Vulcan's mouth was hot on Kirk's, his tongue parting it slowly, until an overwhelming torrent of thoughts and emotions washed over the human and he wanted to draw back, get his bearings. But Spock did not allow it. No longer content with a kiss, his arms moved around Kirk, and he pulled him into a crushing embrace.

Kirk's heart was pounding, and his head was throbbing, as the entire scene on Vulcan replayed in his mind, from Spock's point-of-view this time. He felt Spock's desire to mate be replaced by the desire to kill, but then he felt Spock make the connection to _him_ , and the urge to kill was once more replaced by searing need, culminating in the first stage of a mating bond. Then he saw his own 'death', and felt what Spock had felt. He drew back, crying out.

But Spock pulled him close again, stroked over his hair, soothed him. "Hush, Jim. It is over now."

Kirk was breathing heavily, his cheek pressed against Spock's neck, his arms around Spock's waist. "Yes," he said. He closed his eyes and simply allowed the heat of his friend's body to wash over him. Finally, he whispered, "But now we start over."

Spock gazed down into his bond mate's eyes and what he saw there made him breathless. For the first time since the bond had formed, he allowed his own desire to show - there was no need to hide it any longer, no need to fear a negative reaction.

The intensity of it heated Kirk's skin and made him hard. Its fierceness overwhelmed him, and he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before. But maybe he had. Maybe that was why he'd asked the question. "Spock, kiss me again," he said huskily, offering his lush mouth.

Spock gripped his shoulders, and Kirk expected the next kiss to be passionate and unrestrained. But instead, he was enveloped in tenderness. Spock's lips were like silk against his, soothing as much as arousing him, and he knew what it meant.

This was the beginning. Right here, at this moment in time, their bond was truly formed and their life, together, began.

THE END


End file.
